| Frequently Asked Questions |
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We receive many inquiries from our members and the general public about the institute. This short list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) should answer many of the questions people have. If you have further questions, please contact our Member Services department via email.
What is the Institute of Noetic Sciences?
What are "noetic sciences"?
Who founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences?
What are IONS' principal areas of interest right now?
How is the Institute supported financially?
Who are the members of IONS' board of directors, and how are they selected?
As a research foundation, what kind of grants does the institute make?
How do I propose a research project to the institute?
What kinds of educational activities does the institute support?
How can I get involved in a local community group?
Are you involved in radio or television?
What awards does the institute sponsor?
What are the institute's principal publications?
What books has the institute sponsored or published?
Can institute members submit material for publication?
How many members does the institute have now?
How do I find out about my membership status?
What employment opportunities are there at the institute?
What is the Institute of Noetic Sciences?
The Institute of Noetic Sciences (IONS) is a nonprofit research, education, and membership organization. Our purpose is to support research and education
on consciousness, human potential, and personal and social transformation. Our primary activities include support for scientific and scholarly research;
development of educational opportunities; hosting activities at our retreat center; paper- and online publishing; collaborative inquiry on critical
social issues; and support for personal and professional networking. We work closely with numerous partner organizations and a global network of
colleagues in the sciences, business, health care, education, and various other professional fields. Please read the About section
of our website for more information.
What are "noetic sciences"?
Noetic sciences explore the "inner cosmos" of the mind (consciousness, soul, spirit) and how it relates to the "outer cosmos" of
the physical world, using multiple ways of knowing. For more on this topic, go to our What
is 'Noetic'? page.
Who founded the Institute of Noetic Sciences?
Apollo 14 astronaut Edgar Mitchell founded the institute in 1973 "to expand knowledge of the nature and
potentials of the mind and spirit, and to apply that knowledge to advance health and well-being for humanity and our planet."
What are IONS' principal areas of interest right now?
In 2004 our research
programs are focused on the following topic areas: Extended
Human Capacities, Integral Health and Healing, and Emerging
Worldviews. The IONS
Community Group program is now working on expanding
its international reach, including co-sponsorship of conferences
in Europe and Asia. Eco-friendly sustainable development of
the institute's land and retreat
center in Northern California is also the focus of our
new Campus
Development project.
In its 30+ years of existence, the institute has focused on science and spirit, social transformation, healing, creativity and human potential, and consciousness. Our
activities in each of these areas have been diverse and have included empirical research, the organization of scientific or scholarly conferences, sponsorship of scientific and scholarly
publications, support for the professional development of colleagues, professional networking, and hosting educational workshops at our retreat
center.
How is the Institute supported financially?
Our principal source of financial support is our members,
who contribute through annual
dues and monthly giving programs, gift memberships, and
larger individual financial gifts. Our board
of directors also contribute significantly to the institute.
Guidestar publishes online information about nonprofit organizations,
and you can find financial
information about our institute there.
Who are the members of IONS' board of directors, and how are they selected?
Members of our board of directors are committed individuals from among our membership who want to further the
institute's work through significant financial contributions as well as through contributions of time, professional expertise, and skills. New board
members are selected by existing members of the board and are elected to three-year terms of service.
As a research foundation, what kind of grants does the institute make?
In selected cases, IONS offers seed grants to fund pilot research projects by qualified scientists or scholars willing to ask provocative, pioneering
questions that promise to significantly advance our understanding of consciousness or human potential. We initiate most of the research we fund, and
rarely provide support for unsolicited projects.
How do I propose a research project to the institute?
The institute rarely supports unsolicited projects. However, if you have a project that might interest institute staff, we recommend that you contact
the Research Department. If this is not possible, please send a one- or two-page description that explains
the project's rationale, provides an overview of your research methodology, includes a preliminary budget, and outlines your professional qualifications.
What kinds of educational activities does the institute support?
We sponsor an international conference every two years that involves more than 1,500 participants. We also organize smaller regional events, and, in the San Francisco
Bay Area, lectures by visiting scientists, scholars, and social entrepreneurs. Our
network of nearly 300 local community groups provides members with opportunities for intellectual
inquiry, experiential exploration, and networking.
We also offer
CDs and DVDs on topics in the noetic sciences, and also
support educational activities by partner organizations such
as New Dimensions Radio. Our publications—Shift
(formerly IONS Review) and iShift—also
serve an educational function. Our Retreat
Center is the location for a variety of single- and multi-day
programs that highlight the importance of human development.
How can I get involved in a local community group?
Nearly 300 local community groups now exist around the world. These groups are self-organizing and
self-directing, and most are open both to members and their friends. A list of current group coordinators can always be found in the member insert of
Shift. Anyone interested in forming a local community group is encouraged to contact Rose Welch (707-779 8238)
at the institute. She will send guidelines for forming a group and a list of institute resources available to support local groups.
Are you involved in radio or television?
We have sponsored satellite distribution of New Dimensions Radio, which is carried
by several hundred public radio stations, and work closely with them on other radio projects. In 1993, we were co-producers of the six-hour television
documentary The Heart of Healing, which aired on TBS Superstation and which was seen by several million viewers. We formerly sponsored Thinking
Allowed, a syndicated PBS television series, and Music from the Hearts of Space,
a pioneering radio program that introduced space music to the broader public.
What awards does the institute sponsor?
IONS currently sponsors the Temple Awards for Creative Altruism which is presented annually to three individuals whose lives and work
embody the inspirational light of unselfish service motivated by love.
The institute used to sponsor the Hartley Film Award, which was presented by the now-deceased Elda Hartley. Ms Hartley was a member of the institute's board of directors.
What are the institute's principal publications?
We publish a high-quality full-color magazine, Shift:
At the Frontiers of Consciousness (formerly IONS
Review), which reports on developments in the broad field
of noetic sciences and consciousness studies. The magazine
is distributed automatically to every member of the institute,
and is also available on selected newsstands across the US.
We also publish iShift
our online eZine that reports on IONS-specific events, and
is emailed monthly to members and nonmembers who subscribe
online.
What books has the institute sponsored or published?
IONS has published or co-published a number of books during the past three decades. These include:
· The Way of the Explorer by Edgar Mitchell
· Global Mind Change by Willis Harman
· New Metaphysical Foundations of Modern Science by Willis Harman
· Biology Revisioned by Willis Harman and Elisabet Sahtouris
· The Heart of Healing by Bill Poole
· Walking People by Paula Underwood
· What Does it Mean to Be Human by Frederick Franck
Books by IONS staff and extended faculty include:
· Dogs that Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home by Rupert Sheldrake
· Waking up in Time by Peter Russell
· From Science to God by Peter Russell
· Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen
· Dark Night, Early Dawn by Christopher Bache
· Radical Nature by Christian de Quincey
· The Future of the Body by Michael Murphy
· Sabbath by Wayne Muller
Can institute members submit material for publication?
IONS members and other writers are welcome to submit articles for publication. However less than 5% of unsolicited material is actually used. Go to
our Shift magazine page for more info on our writer's guidelines. If you are an experienced writer, believe that you can meet our criteria for publication, and are familiar with our style and content, then you can send a one-page proposal summarizing your article to shift@noetic.org. If you have submitted unsolicited material to the institute, please note that we may not be able to respond to your submission, due to limited staffing.
If you have a book for review, you may send 2 copies of it to the Book Review Editor at the institute. Though the institute is involved with book publishing from time to time, we currently do not accept book manuscripts for publication.
How many members does the institute have?
The Institute of Noetic Sciences is an international membership
organization with approximately 20,000 members and friends
located in all fifty United States and in nearly fifty countries
on six continents.
How do I find out my membership status?
The membership card you were sent when you became a member
or renewed has your member number and expiration date. If
you have specific questions about your membership, or have
not received your copy of Shift,
please call us at 877-769-4667, Monday through Friday, 9am
- 5pm Pacific time. For more answers to your membership questions,
please see our Member Services
page.
What Employment Opportunities are there at the institute?
We occasionally post job openings on our website. We currently employ a staff of 35 paid full- and part-time employees, and we also have numerous volunteers who generously donate their time and skills to
IONS. If you are interested in volunteering with the institute, please call 707-775-3500.
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